An analysis of move-strategy structure and functions of informality in Philippine English undergraduate theses: Implications for teaching academic writing

• Main Authors: Gustilo, Leah, Capacete, Ma. Pamela, Alonzo, Alvin C., Camba, Arnel, Navarete, Jere Emmanuel
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Academic writing; English language > Philippines; Language and Literacy Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/3368
• Institution: De La Salle University

This paper presents a discourse and corpus-linguistic analysis of the introduction section of undergraduate theses (UT) from Philippine e-Journals, a web-based platform that collates scholarly articles and theses around the Philippines. A total of 57 published UT from the year 2008-2015 under the fields of ABM, HUMMS, and STEM comprise the corpus of the study. The analysis emphasizes the move-strategy structure and informality features observed within UT from the three fields by subscribing to Sheldon's (2011) adapted CARS Model and Chang and Swales' (1999) list of informality features. Inter-coders employed manual scrutiny of the move-strategy pattern of the theses, and Antconc concordance software was utilized to note informality features. The findings show that UT introductions from the Philippines take peculiarity in that the prescribed M1-M2-M3 pattern was not frequently observed; instead, M1- M3 (establishing a niche-presenting the present work) cycling was more recurring. The present study concluded that noting a gap was deemed secondary, even non-compulsory at times, for Philippine English UT. In addition, M3S2 (presenting the research questions/objectives) was a strategy declared obligatory after analysis. Finally, it is notable that informal features employed in the UT were found helpful in realizing certain move-strategies. Overall, pedagogical implications to aid EAP teachers facilitating the research writing of both senior high school and college students across fields are derived from the findings. © 2018 Asian E F L Journal Press. All rights reserved.